What is the primary purpose of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)?

The primary purpose of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is to give parents certain rights over their children's educational records. This federal law grants parents the right to access their children's educational information and the ability to request corrections to those records if they find them inaccurate. Additionally, FERPA requires schools to obtain written consent from parents before disclosing personally identifiable information from a student's education records, thereby protecting student privacy.

This focus on parental rights is crucial because it empowers families to be involved in their children's education, ensuring transparency and accountability from educational institutions. By limiting access and ensuring privacy, FERPA seeks to safeguard students against unauthorized disclosure of their educational information, which might otherwise lead to potential harm or misuse.